title: [Randomized controlled clinical trials for treatment of external sty with ear-apex blood-letting].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of ear-apex blood-letting for external sty.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total 102 sty patients were randomized into ear-apex blood-letting group (n = 51) and routine treatment (medication) group (n = 51) according to computer-aided randomization procedure. Ear-apex-bloodletting (5-6 blood drops/time) was performed once daily for 3 times for the patients of blood-letting group. Patients of the medication group were treated by local application of hydrochloric levofloxacin and erycin ointment to the affected eyelid lining. Additionally, local warm compress of the affected eyelid was given to patients of both groups. The therapeutic effect was assessed by measuring the size of the sty swell and visual analogue scale (VAS) was determined for evaluating pain severity changes. The outcomes were analyzed by researchers who did not know the grouping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison between patients of the two groups showed that the difference vahees of the styrize and VAS score between pre- and post-treatment in the ear-apex bloodletting group were significantly bigger than those of the medication group on day 3, 5 and 7 after treatment (P<0.05). The cure rates of the blood-letting group and medication group were 64.7% and 41.2%, 90.2% and 62.7%, 94. 1% and 80.4%, respectively on day 3, 5 and 7 after the treatment. The therapeutic effects of blood-letting were significantly superior to those of the medication group in relieving external sty (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ear-apex blood-letting therapy for external sty is effective in relieving pain, reducing the size and shortening the duration of disease.
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China. 13565923367@139.com
authors.forename: Hui-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Ju-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xue-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001815:Bloodletting; D002648:Child; D004423:Ear / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D006726:Hordeolum / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult